Outreach Worker in Harlow

The Outreach worker (fostering) will support the stability of children’s care arrangements, to prevent children moving foster homes in an unplanned way and maximise the potential for children to thrive and meet their potential in care. The postholder will work directly with children in care, foster carers and supported lodgings carers to provide practical support and guidance and organise support groups and activities for carers. The postholder will work collaboratively with others to promote better outcomes for children and support the retention of foster carers. The role requires an awareness of the impact of trauma on children’s behaviour. The role also requires excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong working relationships with both children and adults. This role will require working flexible hours to support planned work outside of usual office hours and may require occasional unplanned emergency work.

Accountabilities

• Direct work with children: Undertake direct work with children and young people as planned by supervising social workers, mental health workers or others in the child’s network. Undertake direct work with the sons and daughters of foster carers. Attend other meetings relevant to the child as directed by the fostering manager. Participate when appropriate in the observation and assessment of young people. Ensure accurate records of all conversations with children and carers are kept and appropriately uploaded to the system and that relevant information is shared with the right people and recorded appropriately. Work collaboratively with statutory and voluntary partners to ensure the safety and best outcomes for children and their families. Build relationships with the child through group and/or one-to-one work where targeted work has been assessed as appropriate.
• Direct work with carers: Participate in the training and support of carers, which may include providing parenting advice, organising carer support groups and organising local activities for children, carers and their birth children. Provide practical support to carers in their tasks of caring for children and young people, as agreed by the carer’s supervising social worker, the outreach worker’s supervisor or the fostering team manager.
• Supporting the team and wider fostering service: Support the work of the wider Fostering Service, including contributing to the organisation of countywide fostering events. Participate, with the line manager in the development of specific individual and shared targets and objectives annually within the performance management framework.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Educated to RQF Level 2 (GCSE) or equivalent by experience, which may include specific practical qualifications.
• Experience of working with children and families.
• Experience of working with the public and the ability to maintain clear boundaries and open communication with clients and colleagues.
• An awareness of the impact of trauma on children’s behaviour.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to act assertively and resolve conflict.
• Ability to manage own workload and time effectively.
• An ability to work in partnership with social work colleagues and other professionals.
• Hold a valid driving licence and car available for business use, or access to a car and driver.
• Familiarity with children’s safeguarding protocols, the Children Act 1989 and the 2011 Fostering Service Regulations and National Minimum Standards for Fostering.

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained.